Assembly
by TearThisCanvas
Summary: Lima is a dictatorship ruled fiercely by Governor Anderson. When Kurt Hummel falls in love, he doesn't expect it to change the entire way the town exists.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome!**

**This is a prologue, and then I'll introduce our other favourite boy next instalment.**

**I don't own Glee, or the 100 books idea I stole from Matched by Ally Condie (killer read.)**

Kurt Hummel lived in Lima, a fiercely ruled dictatorship in what was once a free country. Having obliterated all that surrounded it, Governor Anderson had taken control of this town, running it like his own theatrical production, choosing lives for the citizens like a cast, and setting out rules like a script.

Most of the time there were no telltale signs that the townspeople were living anything but a normal life. The sun shone on the uniform streets that people were free to walk (after 7am, before 10pm and not between the mandatory school and work hours of 8 until 3), and people were allowed to socialise with friends in the dozen or so cafes and stores littering the main road. People were allowed in each other's houses, though not to sleep, and the huge but slightly empty library was thought to offer enough culture necessary for the residents not to turn into cavemen (there were 100 books, 100 songs and 100 poems kept behind from the "before," ones that were not thought to be dangerous or harmful to the learning and stunted development of the people). They were not prisoners, but they were by no means free.

Every month, the residents of Lima, those were left after the takeover, would gather in the square, thousands of them crammed in together. Governor Anderson would make a speech, usually a recycled variation of the same kind of message – this is all for the greater good; we only have the best interests of the people at heart; resistance is futile. After half an hour or so of this spiel, two more men would mount the stairs to the town hall, standing either side of Anderson, each holding a rifle and each with a sick, smug smirk. Almost immediately they would lift their weapons and shoot into the crowd, three times each.

Then there would be ten minutes of silence. Relatives weren't allowed to fall to the floor in grief, strangers weren't allowed to try and rouse the fallen and no other people could even sigh in relief.

No one was quite sure where these assemblies originated from, who decided they would be a good or even a productive idea. Anderson insisted it was payback for the rebels during the takeover, but that didn't make much sense because all of those people had been put to death. Those who thought about it knew that this was just the government's way of ensuring that they still had power. And fear was the best way to do that, it seemed.

That was how Kurt lost his mom. When he was ten and a half. It was his sixth assembly, because up until the age of ten the children of the town were kept in a "nursery," a bland white room upon the wall of which was projected the live action of what was going on in the square. On more than one occasion children would have to watch their parents, brothers and sisters die, but never did it desensitise the children from what was actually happening in the square.

Kurt swore he would never be more scared than his first assembly, at age ten and two weeks, where the shots were louder and the people more frightened and the man in the suit even more intimidating than had seemed possible from what Kurt didn't realise was the sanctity of the nursery. And it was five months later. That was the first week that he hadn't tried to grab either of his parents' hands (that wasn't allowed, his mommy told him that the man wouldn't want to see him not being brave) but he desperately wanted to. He kept squirming, looking up at the man but holding his right arm down with his left and then his left arm down with his right and then he tried putting his hands in his pockets but then they got hot so he had to wipe them on the front of his sweater and before he realised it the man was finished talking and the shots were ringing through the air and his mom fell down on the ground next to him and something warm and sticky was on his face and he almost screamed, almost turned to look at his mommy but he couldn't. He stayed rooted to the spot, shaking and trying to hold in his sobs. Ten horrible minutes later the two big horns on top of the town hall sounded and the crowds began to file out and Kurt let out a single choked sob, clutching his hand to his face because they were supposed to be silent. Then his daddy took his other hand, held it really tightly, and picked him up, hugging him to his chest and marching out of the square, down the street and home, before he could see that his mom had been shot in the head.

The funeral was a week after, like all funerals. The six victims all had a short service, one after the other, in the same day, conducted by the same man. And then that was it. Kurt's mom's job was given to someone just out of school and it was like she never existed.

Even now at seventeen Kurt sometimes had trouble remembering his mom's face, her voice. That was the idea, though. The people, those that died at the assemblies, they were supposed to have never existed. That was the kind of power that the government wanted to prove that they had. They could put you in prison without telling you why, they could tell you who to marry, give you any job, and they could destroy those closest to you without batting an eyelid.

**I hope that was okay. I absolutely love dystopian novels and the idea of so much control (anyone here read the Hunger Games trilogy? Second only to Harry Potter, definitely)**

**Slightly related note - BORN THIS WAY TONIGHT. I live in England so I'll be tuning in at 1am our time but I am so excited! We get to see our baby Chris Colfer dominate the episode!**

**Reviews are awesome as well.**

**Lots of love**


	2. Chapter 2

'Kurt? Come here, I wanna talk to you.' Kurt appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, from where his dad had called him.

'What's up?'

'Sit down.' Kurt obeyed.

'Dad, what is it?'

'Son, you're almost 18 now. And - and you know what happens.'

'What happens with... what?'

'You know. The rule.' Burt sighed. 'The rule that says if you aren't engaged by age 21... the government – they find you a partner.'

'Oh...'

'I was lucky, Kurt. I met your mom and that was it. But – honestly, son, I'm worried about you. I don't want you trapped with somebody you don't want.' Kurt remained silent. 'I just think it would be in your best interest if you went out and met someone. A girl. If you went out, and met a nice girl.' Kurt sighed, palming his forehead.

'Dad...' This was something Kurt always tried not to think about, a can of worms he tried not to open. 'Dad, this is a really difficult subject matter for me. I –' Oh God. 'I don't know if what I _want_ is a nice marriage with a nice girl.'

'But that's what the government-'

'But it's not-'

'Kurt!' Burt stood up. 'Look. Look – let's just... we'll say no more about it tonight, 'kay? If it's just going to upset you...'

'I'm not upset.' Kurt folded his arms, locking his jaw.

'Uh-huh.'

'I'm going out.' Kurt stood up. 'By myself.'

'Be back before-'

'Yes, I know, dad. Before 10.' Kurt grabbed his keys and headed out the door. Pausing on the doorstep, he looked out over his street and considered, for a minute, being married to a girl. Holding someone as they fell asleep – being the big spoon. Waking up with lazy kisses to pink lips and coming home to passionate ones with his hands on their waist, in their hair. Having sex? He didn't know that much about sex, granted, just the general mechanics and that it was supposed to feel good (although he didn't _quite_ understand how) but he just... never truly _got _ the idea. Of any of it, actually; the big spoon, the hair, the pink lips. It just wasn't what he wanted. But of course, what he wanted wasn't really important, not when the government had already written into his life that he had to find a girl, marry her and have lots of babies with her. Whether he liked it... or not.

He walked down the street hurriedly, trying to shake those thoughts from his mind - the thoughts politely informing him that he didn't want to find that girl, marry her and have lots of babies with her (he wanted a child, sure, who didn't? He just kind of always left out the mommy part.) But they stayed, and quickly expanded in size and density until he was forced to admit to himself – he wanted a boy. He wanted to find a boy and marry a boy. He wanted a... a hard chest. A strong jawline. Big hands. And to be the little spoon. He'd never heard of two boys being together until the idea entered his head. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with the idea but, then, he guessed if that were the case, he would see more of it around. Unless he wasn't normal. Which was probably more likely.

He arrived at the library in record time, which wasn't ideal as he had been hoping to waste at least a few hours, and headed over to the single bookshelf that housed the 100 books that hadn't been banned. Secretly, he'd always thought that was really dumb, to have banned books and books that people specifically had to read. What is the point of writing down your thoughts if no-one is there to disagree with them? And why would you want to read a book, anyway, that was the same as what was going on in your head? People were being restricted by the choice, he had decided. They would be so much more advanced and intelligent if they could read a wider variety of things.

'I don't know why I insist upon coming back here,' A boy Kurt hadn't noticed before commented with a wry grin. 'What am I expecting to see, a new book?' Kurt tittered nervously. He couldn't formulate any speech, so he simply looked at the boy as he continued. He had slightly darker skin than Kurt, and hair that looked like it would be relentlessly curly if it wasn't wrestled into submission with product. His eyes were a kind of hazel that glinted darker when he moved and he was a little shorter than Kurt. Also, he made Kurt's tummy feel fizzy. But that was just a side note. 'I wonder what would happen if someone wrote something new. In secret. And it got out.' His eyes sparkled. 'Maybe then more people would start to write. Lots of people. Everyone. People would write songs, sing, dance too. They could start a revolution.' He grinned, subconsciously leaning closer. 'That's what I wanna do. My dream. Write something new.' He didn't seem to realise how close he had leaned in to Kurt until the paler boy nodded, enraptured. Shaking his head, he pulled back with a chuckle. 'Sorry, complete stranger I'm sharing my biggest dreams with. I'm Blaine.' Kurt smiled nervously.

'Kurt,' he replied, taking the hand Blaine held out. 'Kurt Hummel.'

'It's nice to meet you.' There was something disturbingly intimate about the way Blaine said that. Apparently realising this, he stepped away. 'So, Kurt Hummel, which of this vast array of books would you say is your favourite?' He gestured grandly to the bookcase.

'Oh – um... Well, none of them were particularly... stimulating,' Kurt blushed as soon as he said that word. 'I liked Of Rats and Racehorses...' He picked out the novel from the shelf, looking down at it. 'But I thought it was missing... something. I'm not sure what.'

'Mmm. I know what you mean.'

'That's the case with all the books, though.'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah.' Kurt bit his lip before continuing. 'There's something missing from all of them. Something the government don't want us to see.' Why did he feel so comfortable sharing his thoughts with this stranger? 'I've been going crazy thinking about what it might be.'

'And what might it be?' This question rendered Kurt speechless.

'I... I have no clue. It's like trying to dream up a whole new thing.'

'Yeah...' there was a wistful note in Blaine's voice. It disappeared with the next question. 'Do you wanna get some coffee?'

'Me?'

'You.' Blaine chuckled. 'You don't have to...'

'No – No, I would love to!' Blaine's eyes crinkled in a smile.

'Awesome.'

**A/n: Blaine, you's a playa.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you everyone who read and reviewed. It really does mean a lot!**

There were no phones outside official government offices in Lima, and after talking until curfew in the coffee shop Kurt and Blaine hadn't been able to fix plans to see each other again. So it was strictly by chance – sweet, glorious chance, Kurt chorused in his head – that they met again walking down the high street.

'Hey,' Blaine greeted him first, with a dazzling smile.

'Hi.' Kurt replied breathlessly. His hand flew up to his hair, awkwardly patting it as he smiled back. 'How's it going?'

'It's going well...' Blaine nodded, watching Kurt's hand and smiling. 'How are things with you?'

'Good...' The pink elephant of Kurt's future had been brought up again meaning that home life was a little tense, but that was something Kurt didn't have to think about right at this second.

'Sorry we had to leave in such a rush the other day... time kind of ran away from us. I meant to ask you, at the end, if you wanted to hang out again?'

'I would love to!' Kurt blushed a little, realising how eager he sounded. Usually he felt awkward being alone with people but this guy made him feel comfortable.

'Are you free now?'

'Definitely.'

'Coffee, then?'

'Coffee... sounds wonderful.' Kurt grinned as Blaine started to walk close beside him and their arms brushed as they moved. _Way better than a girl_, he decided happily.

Oo

'And you know the sun dial in front of city hall? That was specifically put in there, after the revolution to serve as a memorial to Governor Anderson once he's gone.'

'Really?' Kurt didn't get how Blaine knew so much about their town's history. Usually he would find this kind of constant sharing of knowledge condescending but with Blaine, it was actually interesting. Probably because he knew so much about behind-the-scenes of the town's running, for some reason. Or that he was kind of really hot, and Kurt suspected he could listen to Blaine talk about anything in that rich, chocolatey voice.

So maybe Kurt was falling for Blaine a little. And maybe he knew, in the back of his mind, that falling for Blaine was only going to make marrying a girl harder. But definitely, that wasn't something he would deign to think about right now, not when this amazing boy was flirting with him and making him feel this good. There was nothing wrong with letting himself enjoy what he had while it lasted, right?

'Uh-huh. It doesn't actually function. It's backwards and about an hour off centre. You can see the sun, behind the flag-' Blaine lifted up their joined hands to point to said flag, and Kurt allowed himself to revel in the fact that he hadn't imagined Blaine taking his hand a couple streets back. 'Where it's shining, now, according to the sundial, is about six am.'

'I always thought it was just there to look pretty.' Kurt admitted with a shrug. 'Hey, what time is it now?' Blaine checked his watch.

'Almost seven.' Their post-coffee walk slash history lesson had led them to a junction a few streets away from Kurt's house, and Kurt wasn't about to let an opportunity go to waste.

'So, we still have a few hours left until curfew. And, my house is right over there...' Kurt gestured over the roofs of the houses behind them. 'Do you want to maybe, come over, for a –'

'I would love to.' Blaine grinned. He squeezed Kurt's hand. 'Lead the way.'

Soon they were relaxing on the couch, Kurt at one end, Blaine the other, feet tangled up in the middle as they engaged each other in another conversation about literature.

'Okay...' Blaine nudged Kurt's thigh with his foot. 'You said something was missing from Of Rats and Racehorses. Rewrite it. Make it better.'

'Oh. Okay – at the end...' Kurt cocked his head to the side. 'At the end, when Georg has just shot Kenny (a/n: Hooray for creativity!), and all the guys just take him for a drink... That's wrong, he should – he should go back to the ranch, and hold Burly up. Force him to pay his way out of there. Then he should go back to Weed. And have a life. The one that he should have had with Kenny. I think after you lose something so huge... you should at least still have your freedom.'

'That's sweet.'

'Well, I'm a sucker for happy endings.' Kurt smirked, rolling his eyes a little. Blaine smiled at him and folded his legs so he was sitting cross-legged, facing Kurt.

'Is there a girl waiting for Georg back in Weed?'

'There might be...' A thought popped into Kurt's head, catching his imagination. 'Who says it has to be a girl?' The silence after that statement hung between them as Kurt's eyes avidly caught Blaine's every movement; his eyes darting down to Kurt's mouth once, and then twice; his tongue poking out to moisten his slightly parted lips; and then his whole body leaning forward as he – _oh._

They kissed with fervour, firmly and sweetly for about ten seconds, Blaine's hand coming up to rest on Kurt's cheek but not bringing him in any closer. Kurt's hands had been clasped on his stomach, and he couldn't quite remember how to get them to work until, upon reflex, one moved up to take Blaine's shoulder, holding him in place as the kiss ended. Blaine leaned one arm heavily on the back of the couch and he hovered above Kurt, studying his expression.

'Would it be creepy of me to say I've wanted to do that since I first saw you?' he asked coyly, a grin creeping on to his face. He dropped his gaze, taking Kurt's hand in his free one.

'Nuh-uh,' Kurt said, his voice coming out sort of huskily.

'Do you mind if I... again?' Kurt could only smile and lean in closer.

_Definitely better than a girl._


	4. Chapter 4

'Thank you for the coffee,' Kurt said as he and Blaine reached Kurt's front porch. He took Blaine's hand, swinging it. 'You didn't have to.'

'I wanted to,' Blaine cast him a sidelong glance, smiling. 'It can be your treat next time.'

_Next time._ Kurt had never considered the security of actually being in a relationship but that was one of the best parts. Feeling safe. Especially considering the idea of tomorrow's assembly.

'There's still an hour until curfew. Do you want to come in?'

'I probably shouldn't... dad will be wondering where I am.'

'Okay,' Kurt smiled uneasily. 'Does he...?'

'He doesn't know. About you. I want to tell him – I'm not sure how he'll take it.'

'No, you don't need to explain. I understand.' Now that the subject had been brought up, he didn't know whether or not to tell his father. It wasn't something either of them had ever considered. 'So, um – I don't know if I'll be seeing you tomorrow before the assembly. Are you doing anything on Sunday?'

'No,' Blaine smiled, but there was a hint of sadness. He glanced quickly over his shoulder, before pushing Kurt gently into the shadow that his porch created and kissing him. Kurt indulged in Blaine's lips for a few moments, before putting a hand on his chest, prompting him to stop.

'Blaine... I'm scared.'

'Scared?'

'About tomorrow. I mean, I'm always scared about assemblies but... now I have another thing to lose. And I'm terrified that I will.'

'Kurt.' Blaine pulled Kurt into his body quickly, fiercely, wrapping his arms around Kurt's frame. 'Don't you dare worry about me, _please_. I'm going to be okay.'

'How do you know that?'

'I... Trust me. Just let me do the worrying.' Blaine kissed the side of Kurt's neck, the closest place he could reach. 'I'll see you in the square on Sunday, at 2, okay? Goodnight, baby.' Kurt felt a pang in his chest that nearly overrode the soaring sensation in his stomach. _Pull yourself together,_ he chastised. _You were always going to fall in love, regardless of whether or not you might die. Enjoy it._

'Night.' He slowly kissed Blaine goodnight and then only broke eye contact when he closed his front door. Sighing, Kurt leaned back against the wall, tears stinging his eyes.

'Kurt?' He heard his dad call. Rubbing at his eyes, Kurt followed the voice into the living room. His dad was sitting on the couch, leaning his arms on his knees, looking up at Kurt with a troubled expression. 'Hey, kiddo.'

'Hey. What's up?'

'You're late home.'

'Sorry, I was with...'

'With?'

'Um.'

'Have you met someone, son?'

'Dad...'

'You can tell me, you know.'

'I know.'

'What's her name?'

'Dad...'

'Kurt, look. I'm hoping this is a stupid question, but I feel like I have to ask.' He sighed. 'It is a girl, right?' Kurt squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head almost an undetectable amount.

'His name is Blaine.'

'_Kurt...'_

'Dad! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but I don't like girls. I like Blaine. I know that isn't what you want, but-'

'Look. Son, I will love you, whoever you love. I think it's – I think it's just fine that you prefer boys. But... but that is going to make things more difficult for you. I'm scared for you, kid. I don't know what kind of treatment you can expect but just know, I'm fine with you.'

'Thank you, dad.'

'You have to think about what's going to happen, though. They want you married to a woman by the age of 21.'

'I know. Well, maybe I'll be dead by then.' Kurt commented offhandedly.

'That's not funny, son.'

'I know.' He sighed. 'Goodnight, dad.'

'Dad?' Blaine stood awkwardly in the doorway of his father's office. 'Do you have a minute?' His dad looked up from his desk.

'Is it important?'

'I think so.'

'Sit down.' Blaine walked in and sat in the chair in front of the desk. 'What is it?'

'Um... I think I'm in love, dad.' He blurted out.

'That's fantastic son,' his dad's voice lacked any emotion. 'Is she a nice girl?'

'He's not a girl.' There was a moment of silence before his dad responded.

'_He?'_ His dad's eyes blazed with fury. 'Blaine – that is _not_ an option. I don't know what you have been deluded into by this boy but I can assure you that you are not going to be doing _anything _with him anymore.'

'Oh come on, dad! I only told you that because I didn't want to keep it a secret from anyone.'

'Well, I will have no more of it. You are heir to the power over this great town and I will _not_ have it run by a fag.' Blaine had never heard the word before, but the way his father spat it out, he knew it wasn't a compliment. 'You will not be allowed to see this _boy_ anymore.'

'Y-you can't stop me.'

'I_ can't_? I think you'll find I'm perfectly capable of-'

'Throwing your power around? You'll be too busy with your _puppet show_.' Blaine turned and stormed out. That was the first time he'd ever commented on his father's reign in front of him. He hated his father. Not for telling him he couldn't be with Kurt, although that pissed him off. He had always hated him, for being the leader of a trapped nation, he hated the assemblies, he hated this warped version of a society his father had constructed out of what Blaine knew was once a great place. The only thing that kept him going was the vow he made to himself that when he did take over the reign, as the oldest son of the leader, everything would change. No more assemblies, and everyone, whether gay, straight, purple, orange, dinosaur – everyone would be free to love who they wanted to love and do what they wanted to do. Humans had free will for a reason and Blaine wanted to see it. He walked into the living room and collapsed on to the sofa, slinging his arm over his eyes.

'What's going on?' Piped up his younger brother's voice from the other couch. Blaine grumbled in response. 'Is it dad?' Blaine removed his arm from his face and sat up, supporting himself on his elbows.

'Josh,' he started. 'Do you agree with what dad does? All of it?'

'Honestly? No. I think it's wrong. It suppresses people's free will and it raises robotic children with no sense of creativity. Our town seems really gray. _But_, his henchmen terrify me so I'm just gonna pretend like I do. Why do you ask?'

'Just something I've been thinking about a lot lately.'

'Blaine, I know you're all different and empowered and shit but I really don't think it's a good idea for you to try anything.'

'I'm not going to...'

'I don't mind, by the way.'

'Mind what?'

'That you like dudes.'

'Oh.' Blaine smiled briefly. 'Wait, how do you know?'

'Kinda guessed it? And I heard the first half of you guys' conversation.'

'Oh... Well, thanks, buddy.' Blaine smiled briefly. 'I'm going to bed.'

'See you.'

**Thanks for reading and feedbacking :) I'm having serious problems with chapter five and thus the rest of the story, basically everything is jumbling up in my head (I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to write during my GCSEs...)**

**Anyway, LOVE and HUGS and TRIANGULAR EYEBROWS to all of you.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I do hereby dedicate this chapter to golden-perception, who has been a great help in the process of this and is just really awesome. Happy birthday for Saturday, amazing one!**

'Things are changing.' Anderson noted in his speech. 'Secrets come out and it is clear that what this great society needs is a few rules to combat the ever changing times. Within the next few weeks, papers will be put through each of your doors informing you of several adjustments and additions to the laws put in place. In short, curfews will be more strictly monitored and moved up, to 9pm. Anyone on the streets after this time will be put in prison for one night. The age at which young people are to be married is now twenty. And finally, homosexuality – man lying with _man_ – is now a crime. Anyone found to be practising it will be imprisoned or, should the offence be severe enough, put to death.'

The crowd stayed silent, they had to, but Kurt had to fight to keep his expression stony as his stomach twisted in knots. So what had been going on between he and Blaine had a name. And it was wrong, apparently. But what kind of a society would kill a person for falling in love? And why now? Had there been an influx of _homosexuality_ that caused Anderson to put this rule in place? Or was it just something he'd been thinking about? Kurt never considered that there was a world of hate behind this funny thing he'd stumbled upon. His cheeks flushed as he considered the consequences, and what this would mean for himself and Blaine. What would happen to them?

Two female teenagers were among the six people killed that Assembly. The others were three men, and a woman. The girls went to Kurt's school, one of them a straight A student from the grade below, the other from Kurt's homeroom, a quiet individual who spent most of her time staring out the window and twirling her white-blonde hair round a fingertip. The hospital lost a trainee nurse in the woman, a mother of one, and the men were all middle aged, fathers and uncles, a teacher, a builder and a shop owner. That was the thing about their town; these assemblies made one forget that the dead had identities.

And so Sunday came, after the quiet Saturday evening everyone was required to have. Kurt was apprehensive, because he wanted to see Blaine, but at the same time the last thing he wanted was for Blaine to be hurt because of it.

In the square, at two o' clock, he arrived, slightly late, after his father had tried to stop him going out (and it was only after Kurt promised no public displays of affection that he was allowed), to see Blaine standing alone, looking around anxiously. A smile betraying the fear he still felt in his gut, he walked up behind him, and tapped him on the shoulder. The darker haired boy turned around, and his face lit up as he saw Kurt and immediately enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug.

'Oh God, Kurt...' He mumbled into Kurt's neck. 'I knew it wasn't you, but – I'm so glad you're safe.'

'Blaine...' Kurt stayed still; afraid to display the emotions he wanted to show Blaine so badly. Blaine took the hint and stepped back, but looked confused.

'What's wrong?' His hands were restless at his side, clenching and unclenching, as though he wanted to reach out and touch Kurt.

'We can't – You heard what he said at the assembly.' Kurt glanced down at the floor for a second, looking up to see Blaine looking anxious.

'Um – which part?'

'The part about man lying with man? About...' Kurt struggled to remember the word, before saying it quietly. '..._homosexuality. _Us. Were you not listening?'

'I...'

'It means that if we keep on with this – we could die. Blaine, they'll kill us.' Kurt bit his lip as tears clouded his vision.

'What the – he never told... that _bastard!_' Blaine turned around, fisting his hands in his hair.

'Blaine, what are you talking about?'

'Kurt...' He sighed, frustrated suddenly. 'I haven't been, uh, I haven't been totally honest with you. I mean... I haven't told you... everything. I might have left something kind of important out.'

'What do you mean?'

'Come back to my house. Please – I can't have this conversation here.'

'O-okay...' Kurt followed Blaine, who walked to his house in a world of his own, running his hands through his hair every so often and sighing. They got to his house – a redbrick, fairly nondescript place, quickly, and Blaine let them in, heading straight upstairs.

'Blaine?' An alien voice came from one of the bedrooms. A door opened and a miniature version of Blaine poked his head out. 'I thought you were –' He stopped as he caught sight of Kurt. 'Hey.' Kurt raised his hand in a slight wave and managed a smile.

'Josh, this is Kurt.' Blaine said, glancing back at Kurt for the first time since they left the square.

'Is he your boyfriend?' Blaine looked at Kurt again.

'I don't know.' He said quietly, directed more towards the boy in question.

'Okay...' Josh nodded uncertainly.

'Look, is dad home?'

'Not right now.'

'Okay.' Blaine walked back a few steps, easily opening the door opposite Josh's. 'Come on, Kurt.' Kurt walked in with one more nod in Josh's direction.

'Good luck?' Josh supplied. Blaine nodded without smiling

'Thanks.' He walked into his bedroom and closed the door. Kurt was standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. 'You can sit, if you want to...' With Blaine's blessing and a whispered _thank you_ Kurt sat in the desk chair. Blaine sat cross-legged on the bed and looked down at the floor before starting to speak.

'Kurt... you can – you can leave, after I tell you. I just – I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to scare you off. You're the best thing that has _ever_ happened to me. Truly.' Blaine mulled over his next few sentences. 'The – the reason I didn't hear what Governor Anderson had to say about _us_ at the assembly was because I don't have to attend them. My brother and I – we stay at home and study old speeches. The shots into the crowd really are random, and m – Anderson doesn't want to lose the... the next in line for power.' He paused. 'I'm Blaine Potter, for school and social purposes. So the kids don't give me grief. I'm –' He took a deep breath. 'My real name is Blaine Anderson, Kurt.'

'Anderson... Anderson – You're Governor Anderson's son.' Kurt said quietly, numb. His stomach dropped. He shook his head. 'No. No – that's not fair.' Blaine watched him get up off the bed and start pacing.

'Kurt...'

'Your dad... My mom was killed at one of your _dad's_ assemblies, Blaine!'

'Oh my God, Kurt, I didn't know. I'm so sorry...'

'Are you?'

'What?'

'Are you sorry?' Kurt stood in front of him, arms folded and face stony. His eyes burned into Blaine, waiting for an answer.

'I don't know what you mean...'

'I mean, couldn't you have done anything to stop this?'

'_Stop_ the-?'

'You're his _son_. Surely you have some say?'

'Kurt, it's more complicated than-'

'Seriously? Too complicated to stop the _murder_ of innocent people?'

'You don't get it!'

'I have to go, Blaine, I can't – I can't...' Kurt stormed out, rubbing fiercely at his eyes.

'_Kurt!'_ Blaine chased him out, grabbing his wrist.

'Let me go, _please.'_ Kurt looked at where Blaine was holding him as though a red-hot pitchfork was piercing his skin. Blaine relented, begging Kurt with his eyes to stay. 'I'm sorry, Blaine...' He turned and started to walk off, but was halted by the sound of the front door slamming. He turned back to look at Blaine, eyes wide. 'Is that-'

'Dad. _Fuck – _come in, quickly.' Kurt hurried back into Blaine's bedroom, pushing past the other boy. Blaine closed the door.

'I'm sorry, Kurt.'

'Look, Blaine-'

'_Kurt._' Blaine's voice was low. 'I-'

'Blaine?' Governor Anderson's voice boomed as he came down the hall. 'Young man?'

'I'm in here, dad.' Blaine called. He added in a whisper to Kurt, '_Hide!'_ Kurt glared at Blaine for a second, before starting as Governor Anderson's heavy footsteps became audible. He glanced around hurriedly; Blaine's room was basically a square with a bed, there was no place he wouldn't be seen. He let out a strangled gasp as Blaine grabbed his shoulders and pushed him behind the door, just as Governor Anderson entered. Kurt shrank into the wall, praying that the door, the thing shielding him from the man who would kill him, would stay where it was. 'What do you need?' Blaine tried his best to act casual.

'I wanted to tell you, just some changes I announced in my latest speech. The curfew has been pushed back an hour.'

Blaine nodded. 'Okay.'

'Good.'

'Was there...'

'Pardon?'

'Was there anything else? That you said at the speech...?'

'You are expected to be married by the age of 20. But, naturally.' Anderson made a vague gesture.

'Is that everything?'

'Yes, son. I'll be in my study.' He strode away. Blaine stared after him for a few seconds before closing the door to reveal Kurt pressed up against the wall, his head down. He glanced up at Blaine, studying his change in expression.

'He didn't say... Why wouldn't he tell me about the homosexual thing? That's...' Blaine looked disgusted for a moment. 'He wants me to get caught out. He wants me to get found out- and get killed.' He shook his head. 'That's not fair!'

'Blaine...' Kurt spoke up. 'Blaine, we have to end this. We _have_ to. For the good of both of us – we need to... we need to forget about each other. Run away and don't ever look back. That's the only situation where we would both be safe.' Blaine looked up at him, eyes wide. He took a step towards Kurt, arm reaching out as though to take his hand.

'Kurt... Kurt, don't, please, I-'

'What?' Kurt dodged Blaine quickly. 'We have no choice, Blaine. We have to finish it. All of it. I don't know if I could handle being around you at all, Blaine, not with this new danger hanging in the air.'

'Kurt... Have you considered how lonely I might be? I'm not asking for – for sympathy, or pity or anything, Kurt, but being me, who I am – I can't get close to anyone. I can't invite friends over, without them getting freaked out. I can't find a boy I like and hang out because I've an obligation to my dad to be just like him. And now I'm falling in love with the best person I've ever met, this ardent, kind person who is so warm, and so passionate and _so_ beautiful - and he's being taken away from me. Because of some stupid rule, and some stupid prejudice, and my stupid fucking_ father!_ I know he's a monster, Kurt! I know he's killing people, crushing people's souls, keeping from them their right to freedom. I have to sit back and watch while he does it, knowing only that when I take over this place – that things are going to change. People are going to be free. Free to do what they want, love-' his voice cracked. '-love who they want to love.' He shook his head. 'Lord knows I'll probably be dead by then.'

Kurt stared up at Blaine, taken aback. The number of emotions he'd just seen displayed so raw in what he was sure was Blaine talking mostly to himself was slightly overwhelming and as such, Kurt couldn't form a coherent command in his brain further than his arm reaching out and his lips opening to croak out a quiet _Blaine..._ His fingertips brushed the side of Blaine's hip, prompting him to turn to Kurt. Blaine stared at him for a moment, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth before speaking up.

'Kurt...' he started. 'You're the best person I've ever met. I – I know that we can't have a romantic relationship anymore – but please, don't stop being my friend.' Kurt choked back a sob and got up, wrapping his arms around Blaine's waist and not speaking up until he felt Blaine's arms around him too.

'Never.'

**This chapter gave me so much Hell, I won't lie.**

**Reviews are love! And come and say hey on tumblr! Quite often you'll see me posting irrationally angry posts during the process of writing this fic but other times I'm always up for a talk.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks so much for any and all feedback on the last chapter! This one has a flashback jammed in awkwardly just to explain a little further the concept of the hundred books, songs, etc., just in case anyone was wondering.**

The next Saturday found them in the music store on the high street. The store had a simple set up, being that only a hundred songs were allowed into the ears of the townsfolk, where each song was on a CD of its own, and each CD was replicated a few dozen times in a hundred narrow racks littering the store. Blaine and Kurt wandered around, separately and together, and discussed the music, though they both knew all the songs back to front, they had a new pair of ears to talk them over with.

'I hate that only like, four of the songs have words,' Blaine commented, picking up an example.

'That's because words equal self-expression, my dear friend,' Kurt drawled. 'And we wouldn't want that.' He smiled, his eyes trained on the back of Blaine's head. He felt slightly awkward hanging out with Blaine, Blaine who last week he was able to kiss and be kissed by, who last week he was allowed to freely stare at and who this week – well, he had to forget any romantic feelings he had for him. He had to wonder, though, how Blaine was feeling about this. It hadn't been his idea to break up, after all, and he had seemed to want to stay with Kurt in _that_ sense as well as a friendship sense. He hadn't shown any signs of pining after Kurt, though, and seemed to be taking things well, but still – Kurt thought, well maybe hoped, that there were some feelings still residing within Blaine, painful as they may be. Just in case, maybe, the rules were changed? Kurt quickly shook that thought out of his head. It was always best not to get his hopes up.

'These words don't express anything at all,' Blaine shrugged, nodding at the case he was holding. 'My shower concert audiences are getting smaller.'

'Well, what are you singing them?'

'This-' Blaine put the CD down and jogged over to another rack. 'Every morning, 8am, without fail.'

'Every morning?'

'Uh-huh.'

xxxxx

'_Nothing's gonna change my world...' The notes drifted out and mingled with the steam in the bathroom as Blaine finished his shower, turning off the water and grabbing a towel to hold round his waist as he walked back to his bedroom. His song wasn't finished, so he kept singing as he went, prompting his father to exit his office._

'_Blaine, do you really need to cause such a racket? I have important business to attend to.' Blaine stopped, he hadn't realised he was being loud at all, but he chose not to fight that point._

'_What business?'_

'_It is regarding a new punishment for those caught in possession of literature outside the realms of the one hundred books we keep.' The governor begrudged telling his son this kind of information but knew he would have to have some idea of what happened behind the scenes, for when he took over power._

'_Dad...' While they were on the subject, this was something Blaine had been thinking about. 'Why... would that be such a bad thing? Why can't people experience other books and music?' For a second, Blaine's father looked enraged, but his face quickly smoothed into its stern yet expressionless default._

'_You know very well why. Our culture before was far too cluttered and society was made much more efficient by only allowing the best of each form. How-'_

'_Yeah, I know, dad – "How can we appreciate anything fully when overwhelmed with too much?" – I was just... wondering. I forgot.'_

'_Well then. I will get back to work and request that you keep the noise down.'_

'_Of course, sir.'_

_A new punishment for possession of other literature was never passed, but Blaine never stopped wondering._

xxxxx

'No wonder you aren't drawing in any crowds, obviously the better choice is _Let It Be._' Kurt raised his eyebrows at Blaine's affronted face.

'No way! No – this song, although I dislike the government for limiting us to this collection of songs, they picked a damn good one right here. _Words are falling out like endless rain into a paper cup – _Come on, how can you not dig that?' Kurt blinked, momentarily stunned at how Blaine's rich voice had filled the space between them for those few seconds, and after ridding himself of the desire to view one of Blaine's shower concerts first hand, spoke up.

'Well, different music tastes spark different music, I would imagine, so it's probably a good thing we don't like exactly the same thing.' Kurt half-smiled. 'This is something you're gonna fix when you're in power, isn't it?' This had become a running joke between the two of them, a light-hearted take on a serious matter.

'Hell yeah! We're gonna have so much music people won't know what to do! Everyone is just gonna sit at home all day, just listening.' Blaine bathed in the mental image for a moment. 'Hey, what time is it?'

Kurt glanced at his watch and made a face. 'Twelve thirty.' They both knew Kurt's dad wanted him home for dinner at one.

'I'll walk you home.' Blaine offered.

Ooo

'So are we hanging out next weekend?' Blaine was the first to ask when they reached Kurt's house (a/n: during the week they'd go to school, in my head Blaine goes to a teeny private school and Kurt the main town one, but none of that is relevant to the story).

'I don't have any plans,' Kurt replied with a smile. 'So I guess I'll see you in the square at 11?'

'Count on it.' Blaine grinned. He leaned in to press a kiss to Kurt's – 'Crap.' He looked mortified, his mouth falling open for a second. 'I'm so sorry – I forgot myself. Please, excuse me.' Kurt gulped, blushing madly.

'I-it's fine. Really.'

'I'm sorry. I'll see you Saturday.' With a slightly uncomfortable smile and a wave, Blaine turned and walked off, his hands immediately flying up to run through his hair and his pace accelerating unnaturally fast. Kurt stood on the doorstep for several minutes, fighting back the tears that came with the – not too unexpected – reminder that he didn't want to just be Blaine's friend.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n: Look... please don't hate me for the song choice, okay? Just –It fits in well, and – yeah.**

'Kurt!' Blaine knocked at Kurt's front door excitedly the next Saturday. 'Kurt, come on!' Kurt opened the door, looking thoroughly surprised and slightly annoyed.

'Blaine! What, what's happening?' His eyes widened the same as Blaine's but he didn't go as far as to start bouncing like Blaine was. 'How can you be so happy at 8:30 in the morning?'

'I found something out!' Blaine grinned. 'But I can't tell you. I have to show you. Come on!'

'Hang on a minute, let me get my keys... and put some shoes on... Come in,' Kurt stuffed his house key in his pocket and went to get some shoes as Blaine stepped into the house, loitering uncertainly in the hall.

'Dad, I'm going out!' Kurt called from upstairs. A middle-aged man appeared in one of the doorways connected to the hall.

'What did you say, Ku- Hang on, you're not my son...' He looked Blaine up and down.

'Sorry, sir, I'm Blaine.' He offered his hand, which the man shook firmly.

'You're Blaine...'

'Kurt told you about me?'

'Yeah,' Burt nodded slowly. He also knew about the dissolving of their romantic relationship, though he didn't mention it. Still, the fact that they were hanging out when they were clearly into each other made him nervous. 'Just... look after him, kiddo.'

'I will, sir.' Blaine wasn't totally sure what the man meant, but he had an idea.

As if on cue, Kurt came down the stairs then. 'I'll be back – when will I be back?' He addressed the second part to Blaine.

'Mid afternoon?' Blaine guessed slightly awkwardly. 'Before dark.'

'Make sure of it.' Burt nodded, indicating that the two could go. They headed out the door, Blaine brazenly taking Kurt's wrist and pulling him along.

'Where are we going?'

'The library.'

'What did you "find out?"'

'Okay, this stack of mail came to my house, and my dad's aide, Mr. Freeman, told me to take them up to my dad's office. I started reading the letter on top – I might have accidentally stolen it too – and it was someone informing dad of this whole underground set-up at the library.' They arrived at the building.

'"Underground set-up?"'

'Shh!' Blaine led him inside and over to the bookshelf. 'Just wait here.'

They stood at the bookcase for about ten minutes, Kurt growing ever-restless, until a well-built young man – around their age – appeared.

'Would you like to find out more about our loaning policy?' Kurt looked at him confused, but Blaine whispered back confidently.

'Yes.' With that the boy led the two of them through a door at the back of the library and down a discrete spiral staircase that opened up into a small stone cellar. The cellar held about a dozen tables, stacked high with books, and was sparsely populated with people; a couple of girls in close conversation stood in one other corner, as well as one lone almost-bald fellow, peering through spectacles at a book about somebody called Elton John.

'Rachel?' The boy called, and a girl bounced over, grinning almost maniacally at them.

'Good morning, boys! Thank you for bringing them down, Noah.' He bared his teeth at her in a devastatingly handsome grin and hurried off. 'I'm Rachel; I'm co-ordinator of this operation.'

'This is Kurt – I'm Blaine,' Blaine shook her hand, kind smile in place.

'What are you interested in today?'

'I was hoping to borrow a book.'

'Of course! What do you have to trade?'

'I have a song.' Kurt looked at Blaine in surprise and curiosity.

'A song?'

'That's how it works down here,' Rachel informed him politely. 'People come in with songs, poems and literature and in return we offer them other songs, poems and literature outside the realm of the hundreds that the government allow us.'

'Wow.'

'Definitely wow. So Blaine, we have our computer over here for logging the music, if you would like to follow me?' She led them over to a cubicle, the door of which she opened to reveal a desktop computer and a microphone hanging from the ceiling. Civilians weren't allowed computers in their homes, so Kurt took a moment to watch as Rachel started tapping at the keyboard, talking to Blaine as she did so.

'So Blaine, all you have to do is sing into the mic, we'll save it and then you'll be free to take whatever you want.' She grinned at him, before turning to Kurt. 'Kurt, you may have to step outside, if Blaine feels uncomfo-'

'No,' Blaine held a hand out from where he stood behind the microphone. 'I want Kurt to hear it. I – it's for him.' He smiled nervously.

'Aw!' Rachel clasped her hands together and cooed at them. 'You see, this is why I don't understand why that moron of a Governor, Anderson, decided to outlaw homosexuality. You two obviously have a stronger foundation than at least 90% of the heterosexual couples found in this miserable town.' She shook her head. 'It's sheer silliness.' She mumbled, before grinning again. 'Okay, well, when you hear the beep, just go for it.'

'_For me?'_ Kurt whispered as Rachel typed some more.

'Uh-huh.' Blaine bit his lip and nodded. A beep sounded.

_We're soaring, flying_

_There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach_

_If we're trying_

_So we're breaking free_

Kurt's breath caught in his throat as Blaine started singing. Their eyes were locked, and Blaine seemed to be looking into his soul.

_You know the world can see us in a way that's different than who we are_

_Creating space between us _

'_Til we're separate hearts_

_But your faith, it gives me strength_

_Strength to believe_

Everything in the world stopped as Blaine sung. Kurt stared shamelessly because there was nothing else worth looking at. There was hate in this ugly town they lived in, there was murder and people were trapped like rabbits but right here – right now, everything was beautiful. Nothing hurt.

Blaine finished singing and bit his lip, looking intently at Kurt, studying his features. 'Kurt... I know that we can't be anything other than friends outside but just know that in here, in this room – I love you. So much. It's fast and we're young, but its how I feel.' Kurt blinked a couple of times, staring slack-jawed at Blaine for several moments before collecting his thoughts and processing in his head what Blaine had just said. Blaine loved him. He _loved_ him. And it was beautiful and heartbreaking because they could never do anything outside, but in this room – well, in this room anything was possible.

Kurt walked up to Blaine and kissed him softly, resting one hand on his hip and the other on his waist. The kiss was sweet, so, so bittersweet, and Blaine leaned in to deepen it, hands landing on either side of Kurt's face. They stayed like that, stock still, for about a minute, breaking off so Blaine could whisper _I love you _breathlessly and nuzzle Kurt's ear, and Kurt could bring Blaine closer in a hug, one where he could feel every inch of Blaine's torso against his own, and rest his head on Blaine's shoulder to see – Well, Rachel staring at them with that maniacal smile was enough to kill the mood for anyone. Kurt cleared his throat and the hug broke. He looked at Rachel, smiling apologetically.

'Oh, don't stop on my account!' she said brightly. 'I find your love invigorating and, quite frankly, adorable.' Kurt just felt Blaine take his hand and squeeze it. 'No?' Rachel looked between them. 'Well, okay then. If you would like to follow me through to our selection of books?' She walked out, leaving them alone for a moment. Kurt turned to Blaine.

'I love you too.' He said quietly, his eyes sparkling. 'I miss you. Touching you, I mean – Being friends is great but God, being able to touch you, kiss you whenever I wanted was so much better.' He smiled sadly. 'Just while we're in here.' He added. 'That's what I have to tell you.'

'It's going to be difficult staying away from you.' Blaine mentioned.

'Maybe-' Kurt surprised even himself with his words. 'Maybe we could just be really quiet about it. I know it's only been a week but God, being separated from you is one of the worst feelings I've ever known.' Blaine half-smiled.

'Well then, I guess behind closed doors, you're all mine.' He winked, prompting a giggle from Kurt. Yes, they both knew it was dangerous and foolish and downright stupid for them to try and continue their relationship but this bond, their bond – it seemed like it was one that could never truly be broken. And maybe they had a feeling, anyway, that change would be coming soon.

Rachel poked her head in. 'Boys?' She said. 'Are you at all interested in book?'

'Yes.' Blaine answered quickly. 'Kurt, I want you to go in there and choose any book you want. That song was for you, so should the book be.' Kurt gaped at Blaine for a moment, his eyes shining with unspoken thanks.

'You're amazing,' was all he said before disappearing into the room with Rachel.

Blaine stared after them, a smile playing about his features as he wondered when Kurt would realise that he was the amazing one.

**So upon proof-reading this I realised that I inexplicably switched to present tense for a section about half-way through the chapter, so apologies for any slip-ups I may have had in correcting that mistake. And also I just love writing coupley-Klaine, y'know? It's just so lovely.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you all so much for feedback; your reviews truly mean the world to me.**

'Boy, you heard at the last assembly what would happen to people _like you._' The officer snarled at the teenager sitting on the chair in front of him. The boy looked up, catching his eye, pleading silently. 'The Governor has pointed your kind out as a disgrace and does not want you polluting our society. Clear?'

'I didn't...'

'Didn't what? I have witnesses. These witnesses have reported to me your behaviour over the past few weeks and it goes directly against what Governor Anderson wants. You have been seen staring at boys on numerous occasions, becoming sexually aroused in the changing rooms at McKinley,' (the boy blushed furiously) 'need I go on?' The boy remained silent. The officer nodded.

'David Karofsky, your execution will take place on Sunday afternoon.'

Xxx

'Have you read much of the book?' Blaine asked, nuzzling Kurt's ear and planting a feather light kiss where his lips hovered over his boyfriend's jaw.

'About half of it. Dad keeps interrupting and I don't want him to see.' Kurt bit his lip, angling his head back on Blaine's pillow so the dark-haired boy could continue his ministrations on his neck. 'It's amazing – it's unlike anything I've ever read before.'

'That was the point.' Blaine grinned before going in to kiss Kurt on the lips.

'I wanna read about these kinds of people every day.' Kurt smirked. 'Heck, I wanna _live_ like these kinds of people every day.'

'It'll happen.' Blaine said in a low voice, resting his forehead on Kurt's. 'I promise.'

'It's something I think about a lot. I just – I can't imagine living here my whole life. I have another sixty years on this planet and I'm going to spend them lying to the world, attached to some woman I don't love, forever lamenting my lost teenage years and the one taste of freedom and love I got...' Kurt's voice softened considerably towards the end of the sentence. Blaine sat up, looking concerned. He was sat back on his haunches, straddling Kurt.

'Hey,' he started, unsure. 'Don't talk like that. Think about when I come into power, and all my dad's rules will be dissolved. You'll be free then.'

'How far away is that time, though?'

'It doesn't matter. Even if you're... 75. And you're in a wheelchair and you're losing all your hair. I'll still make sure you experience freedom.' He leaned in again, his lips hovering just over Kurt's. 'And I won't have forgotten you. As soon as my father's gone - and even if we are 75 – I'll ride my wheelchair right to your door.' Kurt giggled a little.

'You're so cheesy.' He closed the distance between them.

'You love it.'

'I do. I love _you_.' He whispered somewhere in the kiss. Blaine let out an 'Mmm' in agreement. 'Wait...' Kurt sat up. 'That was what I wanted to ask you. How did your song go, again? The one you wrote?' Blaine smirked, looking bashful.

'We're soaring, flying...'

'_We're soaring, flying...'_

'_There's not a star in-'_

'_Heaven that we can't reach...' _Kurt finished the line.

'You have a beautiful voice, Kurt.'

'I thought... this song could just be between us. Just be ours. Forever.'

'Forever. _If we're trying – so we're breaking free...'_

Xxx

_Five to six months._ That's what the doctors all said. His heart was giving up on him and lack of available technology in Lima had prevented them from finding any way to help until it was too late for any miracle working machine to save him. Thomas Anderson felt fine now, he was maybe a little fatigued now and then, and he needed earlier nights than he had in his youth, but those were just everyday things. His insides, however, were not functioning so well.

He had accepted the idea of his death. It was going to be tragic. A born leader of just 45 years old struck down by a heart disease at his peak. He would go down fighting but it would be too late, and he would be buried behind Town Hall, forever to be remembered as a great man.

That was where the problem started. For years he had been preaching Blaine as being the future leader of Lima, constantly showing him off and flaunting him as being strong, confident and very capable of taking power into his hands whenever it appeared he may have to. That was then. And the Blaine that Thomas saw now was no such young man. This boy – this _fag _– had made it clear that he had different opinions on how this town could be run and there was no way that Thomas, even in death, could stand for it. He refused to be remembered as leaving behind this... this homosexual. He refused to have people laugh at his legacy.

So first, he had done the humane thing in trying to deter his son from acting upon his sexual preferences. He had told him outright that he _could not_ continue any relationship with that boy, and Blaine had just thrown it back in his face.

What else was Thomas supposed to do but impose a law banning any and all relations of that sort? This was the only way a message could be sent to Blaine with sufficient meaning in it to let him know that Thomas _was_ serious.

But that had been weeks ago. When his uppermost officer had come to him the previous day reporting a case of open homosexuality, hope had flared in his stomach that his son may have been caught, and could be rightfully disposed of. But it wasn't him. Blaine didn't seem to be behaving any differently, after the first week following the new law, and for this reason Thomas had a gut feeling that he wasn't obeying. He had no proof, of course, apart from the fact that he was sure Blaine didn't know about the law, but that wasn't something he could let everyone know.

Honestly? For this reason he had given up on his older son entirely. Blaine would never be the one to keep a sense of order and control in Lima. He had always been different – Thomas guessed now he knew why – and that would surely carry on into his taking over of Lima. The sensible - well, _only -_ option was now to pass over Blaine and hand power over to Joshua.

Joshua would make a great leader. Enthusiastic and sensible and definitely reliable and obedient enough to carry Thomas' values and ideals through into the future. He had never caused Thomas any trouble or heartache and his mind was still young enough for sculpting should the need arise.

But after presenting Blaine as such an exemplary candidate to the people, after introducing him to the community as their future leader, it would be bad form and it would arouse too much suspicion if he were to simply pass Blaine over.

Blaine needed to simply disappear.

There was no hope otherwise.

Sitting at his desk in the Town Hall that Saturday afternoon, Thomas clutched the phone with a sweating hand, holding it to his face so fast it was though glue was bonding plastic to flesh.

'Freeman...' He started the conversation. 'I need someone taken care of. I need – I need Blaine dead. Soon. Get our best men on it. I don't know – you think of a plan. Very well.'

And that was that.

And it was a lot easier than Thomas anticipated.

**I'm sorry about the long wait! This chapter has really been bothering me. I've read the third part over and over and over again and I don't even know if it makes sense. It won't be long until the next part.**

**Lots of love**


	9. Chapter 9

**This takes place immediately after chapter 8. I feel bad because after that cliffhanger you guys are probably expecting something _revolutionary _in this! But it just felt more right to break it up.**

**And I am floored by the response to chapter 8. Honestly, guys, I love you.**

They lay there for hours that afternoon, Kurt's head resting on Blaine's chest and his fingertips tracing patterns over Blaine's abs. Wrenching himself out of the blissful haze their singing seemed to have brought on, the fairer boy sat up a little and turned his head so he could see Blaine's alarm clock. 8:45pm.

'I have to go...' he mumbled.

'Mmmm...' Blaine tightened his hold on Kurt and stifled a yawn. 'Mmm.'

'Blaine...' Kurt turned over, resting on his forearms. 'I have to go. Curfew.'

'No you don't. You can stay here forever.' Blaine stretched out.

'Won't your dad be home soon?'

'I'll hide you under my bed.'

'That does sound like an attractive prospect.' Kurt sat up all the way, yawning widely and resting his hand on Blaine's knee. 'I'll see you tomorrow?'

'Mmmm... Definitely.' Blaine finally sat up. He wrapped an arm around Kurt's waist from behind and pressed his lips to the back of Kurt's neck.

'Stop it, or I'll never be able to leave.'

'That's exactly my point.'

'Tomorrow, at the square, ten AM?'

'Perfect...'

'Walk me to your door?' Blaine let out an exaggerated groan.

'Fine...' He took Kurt's hand and led him downstairs, stopping him just inside the door for one last lingering kiss. 'I love you.'

'I love you too.' Blaine watched Kurt walk down the street, his heart almost aching with fondness and love for the other boy.

Kurt did nothing to suppress the smile creeping over his face walking away from Blaine's house, directing it at the ground so as not to arouse suspicion but still letting the emotion scamper across his being. _This_ was what he was going to remember. _Here_, he was happy.

Well – here he was happy and _embarrassed _as he turned a corner and caught his foot on a crack in the pavement, halting his journey and sending himself flying to the ground. He threw his arms out to catch himself and his palms scraped messily along the pavement, stinging as opposed to the dull thump the impact of his knees on the pavement caused.

_Ouch._

He stayed for a moment until his breathing evened out and the shock of the jolt had, for the most part, left his system. Then he raised himself up on trembling arms, and stood up on equally unsteady knees, standing up unaided for only a second before leaning against the fence of a random house, telling himself _ten seconds to rest, then you _have _to get home._ He closed his eyes.

'..._the Governor's son!'_

Kurt's ears pricked up. The brash voice had floated over the fence in what was obviously an accidental raise in volume. He pressed his ear to the fence, scraped hands and bruised knees forgotten as he tried to hear what the man was saying.

'..._the older boy...'_

Blaine.

'..._father wants him dead, he...'_

What? Kurt pushed his face further into the fence.

'_...unsuitable leader... don't know either... Joshua, fine boy...'_

He gulped and shook his head infinitesimally. No. No, no, no, no. Not Blaine.

'_...disposal of body... yes... as soon as possible...'_

Oh God. Kurt wasn't one to jump to conclusions but he was sure he had heard enough to justify the pit in his stomach. Blaine's father knew how Blaine _was._ He had put the law in place for Blaine and now for some reason, as though the sickening rule wasn't enough, he wanted him dead. He was going to kill his own son for being different.

Kurt pushed himself off the fence and started to run back round the corner to Blaine's house. He had to tell him, hide him – anything.

'Hey!' A voice called from another direction.

He turned around immediately, the discovery having made him hypersensitive to any dangers that might surround him.

'What are you still doing out?' The voice belonged to a government officer, one who looked as intimidating as ever in his slightly ridiculous but no less scary blue uniform. 'Curfew in eight minutes, boy.'

'I- I...'

'You what? Can't tell the time?' The officer raised his eyebrows. 'You know the penalty, young man. Anyone caught out after curfew without explicit permission is put in prison for a day. Wouldn't want to miss out on seeing your girlfriend, would you?'

'I just have to –'

'What's your name?'

'Kurt Hummel, sir.'

'As in Burt Hummel the engineer?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Well, you live right on the other side of town! Get going!'

Kurt looked around desperately. He had to get to Blaine. Somehow. But what if he wasn't fast enough? Then he would be locked in prison and he would be even more helpless where Blaine's fate was concerned.

'You forgotten your address or something?'

He had to try and make a run for it or something. He had to-

'Fine, if you want to act like a child and just ignore me, looks like I'm going to have to escort you home.' The officer walked up to Kurt and caught his arm in an iron grip. He marched down the street, giving no choice to Kurt but to scramble after him and pray that whatever plan those people had for Blaine wouldn't be put into action straight away.

**And that's chapter 9. I've actually _started _writing chapter 10, which is abnormal for me, but it should mean a faster update. And also the next chapter enters the last day of the story. I've no idea how many chapters will take us through the day, but the characters will not be sleeping any more.**

**As always, reviews are appreciated insane amounts!**

**Love!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Absolutely drunk off your responses. I do love you guys.**

The next morning Kurt stood at his front door, hand poised on the doorknob, watching the digital clock on the wall as it ticked slowly towards 7am, the time the streets began to come to life as the morning curfew ended. He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, willing the 58 to change to a 59 and as he was muttering an improvised prayer, his dad came downstairs.

'Kurt?'

'Hi, dad.' His eyes didn't leave the clock.

'Where are you going?'

'I'm going out.'

'I can see that, kid. Where were you last night?'

'...out.'

'Son... I'm worried about you. You're spending too much time with this kid and you're becoming too attached to a relationship you won't be able to keep.' The 58 changed. 'Kurt... your work placement arrived yesterday.' He finally tore his eyes away from the clock.

'Huh?'

'If I'd seen you last night I would have told you then, but...' Burt produced a white envelope. 'You're growing up, kiddo. Pretty soon you'll be married and you won't be able to spend all this time with Blaine.' Kurt took the envelope.

In Lima, in the run up to a child's 18th birthday, letters were sent out to them, notifying them of their work placement, as decided by government officials, based on a person's grades. This was their job for the rest of their life and they had no means of escape apart from death. Kurt hadn't realised how close his birthday was. He did a quick sum in his head. A week.

He turned the envelope over in his hands, looking at the towns crest in the corner. Governor Anderson would have signed this. In one movement he tore he envelope in half, dropped it and looked up at the clock. 7:01. Without turning back he wrenched the door open and took off down the street, ignoring his father's shout.

All the way, he tried to assure himself that he was being stupid, that the government would leave at least some time between hatching a plan and putting it into action, but still, _still. _He wouldn't rest until he saw Blaine safe and alive.

He knocked frantically on the door, pounding until a tired looking teenager opened.

'Kurt?' Josh asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning. 'What-'

'Where is Blaine?'

'Huh?'

'Blaine? I need to see him!'

'He should be in his room –' Kurt pushed past him and ran up the stairs, not stopping until he reached Blaine's door. He shoved it open and stumbled in. The bed was empty, the dark purple cover thrown across the room and the white sheet tugged halfway off the mattress. Kurt's heart dropped. Blaine was – he'd been –

'What's going on?' Josh asked, his voice becoming more alert and more worried.

'Blaine is in trouble. I think – I think your dad, the government want to hurt him.'

'What?'

'_Joshua?' _A voice boomed from down the hall. '_Are you up?'_

'Josh, you have to help me. We have to find Blaine.'

'I-'

'_Joshua?' _It was Governor Anderson's voice.

'I have to spend today in my dad's office!' He said. '_I'm up, dad! _He said its crazy important!'

'Oh God – Fine, just please try and find _something _out about Blaine.'

'Of course!' Kurt took off down the hall towards the stairs, desperate to get out of the house of the man who sentenced his own son to death. As he ran downstairs, Kurt was confronted by a cold stare. Governor Anderson.

'Who are you? What are you doing in my house?'

'I'm saving your son!' Kurt pushed past the man and out the still open front door. He heard Andrew shout Josh's name as he left, but he ignored it and ran full pelt down the road.

He didn't know where he was running. He didn't know who he could go to. None of his friends knew who Blaine even was, let alone how much he cared about him and the situation seemed so surreal that he doubted anyone would believe him. And anyway, no-one really _liked_ Governor Anderson's reign, but everyone accepted it, and the people he knew were not nearly as prone to rocking the boat as Kurt had found out he himself was.

Stopping on a street corner, he tried to gather his thoughts. Running was no good when he had no clue where he should go. He looked around. His house was a couple of streets over, and the library was that way. His school was round the other corner, but of course it would be empty, and – Wait. _The library._

With thoughts of those two people he'd met all that time ago, Kurt started sprinting again. They _had _to help, or at least know someone else that could. Anyone who would dedicate their time to an operation going against Anderson's rules would surely jump at the chance to foil one of his plans. And then...

What would happen after they had saved Blaine? They couldn't let Governor Anderson continue to rule, when he had intentions to kill his son, when he would no doubt continue to constrict the town's freedom and kill off those who displeased him until society had been trimmed down to a handful of so-called perfect townsfolk. They had to stop him, and _now._

He shoved open the doors of the library so hard they rocked back against the wall with a clatter, and sprinted through to the back, much to the disdain of the elderly librarian sitting to the side. Stumbling down the spiral staircase, Kurt announced his arrival to the basement by shouting for Rachel.

Xxx

He came to in a cellar. It was damp, with a low ceiling, and the only light came from a tiny window at street level, at the top of the wall. And it smelt horrendous.

Blaine's eyes flickered open, and he tried to sit up, but in doing so only rattled the handcuffs chaining him to the radiator. The sound this caused woke up the guard by the door, who up until now, had been snoring softly. He yawned widely and then shot Blaine a sneer.

'Good morning sunshine.' He laughed to himself.

'Where...' Blaine sat up fully, shifting back so his stiff knees were bent in front of him. 'Where the fuck am I?'

'Language, pretty boy. You're in jail, on a hundred counts of being a disgrace to Governor Anderson.'

'What?'

'Your daddy doesn't want you anymore. He's payin' his best men-' the guard proudly jerked a thumb towards himself '-to get rid of you for him.' Blaine's stomach churned. He'd never have thought his dad was capable of this. He always knew he was disliked by him... but to such an extent that he was paying to have him killed? That was sick.

'Where is he? My father.'

'In the office. Getting ready for that fag's execution this afternoon.'

'Execution?'

'Some kid. K-something, caught eyeing up other boys. Disgusting.' K-something? Oh God, oh God. What if they'd caught – what K-something was Kurt? Blaine didn't know any other homosexual guys, not like it was something everyone went around proclaiming, but still. An actual execution. Suddenly dying himself didn't seem as big a deal.

'I want to go. Where is the execution taking place?'

'In the square, later. Not that you'll be going at all, brat. The next time you're leaving this room, you'll be dead and in that sack.' He pointed to a thick burlap sack in the corner. Blaine shivered, looking at his coffin. 'You see, what we're gonna do – we're just waitin' for our guy to get here, the one who's hands are gonna have your blood on 'em, and he's gonna off you. We'd have done it already, 'cept your father wants it clean. So he's gonna come, he's gonna kill you, then we're gonna take that sack down to the river on the edge of town. That's gonna be your final resting place, kid. We're gonna make like we're all looking for your body, when word gets out you're missing, but of course no-one's gonna find nothing, so we're gonna have to give up. Then your kid brother is gonna take over Lima when the time comes, and your dad don't have to worry about you corrupting his legacy.' Blaine felt dizzy.

'You're all... monsters...' He closed his eyes, his head rolling slightly. The guard laughed.

'Say what you want, kid, it don't change nothing. You and that fag are both gonna die today.' Blaine's head snapped up.

'_Let me go!'_ He tried to yank his hand free, straining against the metal, grunting with the exertion and the handcuff digging into his wrists. The guard laughed again, infuriatingly, and settled back down for another nap.

Xxx

**I don't know how on earth I managed to concentrate enough to write this! I'm seeing Harry Potter in three and a half hours (deep envy for anyone who's already been!) I can't wait to get my Alan Rickman on.**

**Reviews are the epic line to my Molly Weasley!**

**Hugs and butterfly kisses**


	11. Chapter 11

**Bowled over again by your reviews, you guys. Lots of love.**

'How do you have a car?' Kurt asked as he followed Rachel into the back of the shiny black vehicle. 'I thought only police had cars.'

'Noah stole it.' The boy in the driver's seat cheered.

'Heck yeah I did!'

'How?'

'Don't ask. Never ask.' Noah replied.

'It helps us collect deliveries of books from out of town, and because it's a police car, no-one really suspects it.' Rachel shrugged.

'That... makes sense.' Kurt shook his head. 'Where do you think Blaine might be?'

'Well, Lima has only one police station, so it might be wise to check there first. If he isn't there, he could be in the town hall, or an aide's house, or his own basement. Let's take this one location at a time.'

'Right. Okay. Thank you so much for helping me.' Kurt gripped the side of his seat as the engine started. He'd never been in a car before.

'Please, it's nothing. I care about Blaine, and who would say no to deliver a great big fuck-you to Governor Anderson?' Kurt smiled gratefully at Rachel.

'Keep your head down.' She advised as they drove. Kurt followed her direction, sliding down in his seat and murmuring an improvised prayer for the second time that day.

Only a few minutes later they pulled up behind the police station. Once the car had stopped, Rachel pulled a skirt out of her rucksack and shimmied out of her jeans. She put the skirt on and started to flip her hair around, fluffing it up with her left hand as she applied a coat of red lipstick with her right. As she pushed her sleeves up and pulled her neckline down, she spoke again.

'Kurt, I want you to just follow our lead, okay? You know we trust you completely, but Noah and I have a lot more experience in sneaking around than you, and things will go a lot more smoothly if you just let us speak.' Too worried to be at all offended, Kurt nodded. They got out of the car and walked in a line to the door – Rachel sauntering ahead, Noah behind her, and Kurt taking small, anxious steps at the back, wringing his hands. As soon as they entered the building, Rachel gasped and hurried over to the man at the desk.

'Oh, wow! A real police officer!' She sat on the desk, crossing one leg over the other. 'I always thought those uniforms were sexy, but I had _no idea...'_ She purred, reaching out and stroking down the man's arm. 'Do you have a _gun_, officer?' The chuffed-looking man let out a laugh and started to reply. Kurt looked around the room. It was a perfect rectangle, with a desk, one door with "WC" written on it and one cell at the opposite end to the entrance. It was empty.

'Noah...' Kurt whispered to the muscular guy. 'The cell – he's not here. What's Rachel doing?'

'Pssh, you really are new at this,' Puck replied with a smirk. 'They don't keep the prisoners in that cell; it's just for show, so they can act like they're running a crime-free town. The real prison is underground. I've been in twice, I know the process.' The hope that had extinguished in Kurt's gut alighted again.

'And how often do you work out?' Rachel asked with a giggle, reaching out and squeezing the man's bicep. 'Oh my Gosh! I bet you could lift a house!'

'Well, I don't know about a house...' The officer chuckled. 'But I could certainly lift up a pretty little girl and take her home.' Rachel threw her head back and laughed, placing a hand on the man's chest.

'Oh, stop it!' She said. Her free hand went behind her back to shoot Noah and Kurt an "OK" symbol. Noah moved forward. 'I don't know if I could handle such a _big, _strong man...' She wound her arms around his neck and ghosted a kiss over his ear. He rested his head on Rachel's shoulder, a smile appearing on his face, but only staying for a second as he spotted Kurt.

'Wait –' He pulled away from Rachel, only slightly, and fumbled around next to his computer. He found a piece of paper. 'Wait, hang on. Governor just faxed this over –' The paper showed Kurt's ID photo. '"Wanted rebel. If seen, arrest and keep in custody."' He started to stand up. 'You're stupid, kid, coming here.' Kurt swore his heart stop, as the officer made for him. But by some divine miracle on Noah's part, the burly teenager had already snuck behind his desk, and at the apparent threat, slammed his hand down on the juncture between the officer's neck and shoulder, before he got too close to Kurt

The officer seized up, and then crumpled.

'He's still got it!' Noah exclaimed, holding a hand up to Rachel for a high-five before kneeling down and securing the keys from the guard's belt.

'He always was good with his hands,' Rachel said to Kurt with a smile on her face as she watched Noah tie the officer's wrist to the pipe going across the wall with his necktie.

'I – I... yeah. So where is this cell? Where's Blaine?'

'Lead the way, Noah.' Noah twirled the ring of keys round on his finger and whistled as he walked through the toilet door. Once inside, he stopped in the middle of the room and crouched down to the floor. He easily prised the light blue tile off the floor and shoved it to the side to reveal a ladder going down into what looked like oblivion. He stepped back, offering his hand to Rachel, who took it and climbing started down the ladder first. Kurt went second, at Noah's signal.

They climbed down the ladder into what appeared to be some kind of cellar. Rachel stopped just short of the end.

'Puck!' she whispered. 'There's a guard here!'

'Just ignore him,' Puck replied. 'I'll take care of him, just focus on getting the kid out.'

Xxx

Blaine paused his staring at the wall when he heard movement over by the guard. It wasn't him, he was sleeping again, so who was moving? A pair of legs appeared to drop down from the ceiling. Followed by a butt, and _wow _that skirt was short. A torso, arms and head later he saw Rachel landing gracefully on her feet, tiptoeing away from the guard and looking up at where she had come from. Blaine had never been happier to see another human being.

Well, until he saw the next person come down. Long, lean legs, an awesome ass, and a slightly clumsy landing. _Kurt._ He gasped, watching the other boy spin around and lock eyes with him.

Xxx

_Blaine! _He was there, handcuffed and looking tired as Hell but _alive _and beautiful as ever. Kurt ran over to him, kneeling in front of him and enveloping hum in a hug. Blaine returned the hug with one arm, the one that wasn't shackled to the radiator, and buried his face in Kurt's neck, basking for a few seconds in the security that now he was here, now they were together, things could be okay.

While this was happening, the guard had of course noticed, but was being held down by Noah, who had swung from the ladder straight into his lap, knocking him backwards and effectively pinning him down. The guard's baton had been knocked from his grip and rolled a few feet along the floor, so he watched helplessly as Rachel set about freeing Blaine. She ran a hand through her hair and plucked out a pin, which she used, after pushing Kurt out of the way, to unlock Blaine's handcuffs with surprising ease. Blaine lurched forward, tackling Kurt to the ground and pulling him as close as he could.

'Thank you, Rachel!' He said into Kurt's chest. 'Hi, Kurt.' He added breathlessly.

'Hi.' Kurt grinned.

'I thought I was never gonna see you again,' Blaine mumbled. 'I thought –'

'Blaine, it's okay. I'm here now.'

'My dad is trying to kill me.'

'You're safe now.'

'I thought he was going to kill you, too.'

'Why? Your father doesn't know me.' Well, he _didn't._

'The guard – said they were executing a homosexual kid today.'

'I'm fine, Blaine. It's not me.' Kurt hadn't heard this, yet. It made his stomach drop, especially with the knowledge that Blaine would have been worried sick about him while he was down here himself, waiting for death. 'It'll be okay.'

'Boys?' Rachel interjected gently. 'We should probably get out of here.'

'Right.' Blaine climbed off Kurt and offered his hand to help him up. Underneath Noah, the guard was having a difficult time.

'I – can't – breath!' He choked out, batting at Noah's thigh where it was settled on one side of his chest. Noah looked down at him, all wide, watery eyes and red cheeks. He looked pathetic. With a sigh, he shifted up the man's body, intending to sit on his knees until the others had gotten out. However as soon as he had lifted his butt off the guy's stomach, he was punched spectacularly in the groin.

Noah fell to the side, groaning, and with a triumphant sound the guard crawled over to retrieve his baton. He threw it in the general direction of the other three, aiming for the Anderson kid but not too picky about which of them he took out.

The weapon flew through the air and connected with the small of Kurt's back, forcing him to fall to his knees. Rachel had run over to Noah, so Blaine immediately crouched to try and aid Kurt in any way possible.

'Kurt?' He rubbed a hand over his back. 'Is it bad-'

'Blaine!' Rachel shouted. The dark-haired boy whipped his head round to see the guard heading for him.

_Shit, shit, shit; _Blaine had never had to fight anyone before. He stood up and steadied himself, but instinctively closed his eyes and lashed out as the guard came close. It must have looked ridiculous but it seemed to work, as his elbow caught the man's temple, and by another divine miracle, sent him to the ground where his head hit the concrete, hard, and knocked him out. The silence hung in the room for a few seconds, until Rachel spoke up.

'Good job, Blaine.'

'Yeah, you hit like a pansy,' Noah said, sitting up, 'but I'll be fucked if he doesn't have some kind of brain damage.'

'Are you –' Blaine started.

'Kidding.' Noah finished. 'Now can we get the fuck out of here?'

Xxx

As soon as they got in the car, Kurt snuggled into Blaine's side, seatbelt be damned **(a/n: Kurt is making a bad choice here, kiddies, always wear a seatbelt)**.

'Blaine, I want you to come and stay at my house, okay? I have my own place and I am _not _letting that murderer find you again.'

'Rachel, I couldn't possibly ask-' Blaine started, again.

'It's not up for discussion.' Blaine sighed.

'Thank you.'

'So, what happens now?' Noah asked, from the driver's seat. 'Anderson isn't gonna be shitting rainbows when he hears his son got out.'

'We'll think of something.' Rachel said. 'I just want to get us all home.'

'Wait –' Blaine said. 'The execution happening today – when is it?'

'I think it's starting in about twenty minutes.' Rachel answered.

'Can we go? I... I want to do something.'

**I hate this chapter. I want to stab it. I'd love to say I've had fun with it, but no. Nope. If you followed me on tumblr you'd see how much **_**fun **_**I've had...**

**Like srsly, in the plan of this story, all I had written for this was "they get him out." No ideas, no clues for myself. Grrrrr.**

**The next chapter should be good! And this whole fic will have between 1 and 3 more chapters, depending on how my brain decides to work.**

**And then after this I've planned out a Merman!Klaine fic. No clue as to what to call it. I'm trying to veer away from the Little Mermaid thing but that's like my one source of reference! (Into merman already? Part of Your World by myheartwonxxo is absolutely, amazingly, stupefyingly great)**

**Love to all of you! And now more than ever I want your honest opinion on this chapter. Please? **


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you so much for responses! I love you all lots (especially kewliobeans. Just putting that out there).**

Most of the town were gathered in the square by the time their car drew up next to the town hall. Blaine made to get out, but paused with his hand on the door handle. He seemed to be muttering to himself. _He's a monster. They need your help. He's a monster._

Kurt reached out and put an arm on his shoulder. 'Blaine? What are you going to do?' Blaine let out a shaky breath before turning to look at Kurt.

'I'm going to change things.' He smiled at Kurt, though his eyes still held some fear.

'I love you.' Blaine's smile grew wider, and he pulled Kurt in for a searing kiss.

'I love you too. Stay with Rachel.' With one last lingering look, Blaine turned and swiftly exited the vehicle, before he changed his mind.

He walked forward a few steps, looking around. Some kind of stage – a _gallows – _had been set up in the middle of the square, and there were people crowded round every side. The town hall sat to the side of the gallows, with a podium and microphone already erected on the front steps, just like at the assemblies. His father was going to make a speech. This was perfect.

Pausing as he noticed more technology poised around the square, he voiced his thoughts aloud.

'Why are there cameras everywhere?' A middle-aged woman in front of him seemed to hear him, and turned to him excitedly.

'The execution is going out all over the country! Anderson wants everyone to know how serious he is.'

For some reason no security guards had been stationed yet; he imagined they were all being briefed on his escape right now. They would all be looking for him. This made what he was about to do seem ludicrous. Even more ludicrous. In a brief moment of weakness, he prayed to any deity that would listen that they might be locked in some cave somewhere, or at least congregating in a police station at the edge of town. That would be handy.

This was it.

Taking a deep breath, Blaine started up the town hall steps, staring straight ahead until he had reached the top and was standing by the podium. He scanned the crowd, almost 100% of which had turned to look at him. No security guards at all. But, there – there was Kurt, and Rachel and Noah, weaving their way into the front of the crowd, and that was all Blaine needed to continue.

He took a deep breath and tapped the microphone.

_We're soaring, flying..._

_There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach_

_If we're trying, so we're breaking free..._

There was an audible gasp amongst the crowd. Some raised their hands to cover their ears; others simply gawked at Blaine with matching expressions of shock – who was this boy? And why was he singing an illegal song on the steps of a town hall before an execution?

_You know the world can see us_

_In a way that's different than who we are_

_Creating space between us_

'_Til we're separate hearts_

He zeroed in on Kurt in the crowd. Kurt who was gripping Rachel's hand up by his chest like a security blanket. Kurt who had tears running down his cheeks. And Kurt who was staring up at Blaine and shaking his head, as if to say _you cheeky bastard._

_But your faith, it gives me strength_

_Strength to believe_

_We're breaking free – flying_

_There's not a star in Heaven that we can't reach_

Blaine looked around the crowd again, and – shit, there were two security guards, hefting a burly high-school boy between them. The prisoner, the teenager on death row, obviously. As soon as they registered what was happening – they had come from a street next to the square, obviously their only task was delivering the boy – they dropped him and started to run for Blaine, yelling frantically into their radios. Blaine's heart lurched and he broke off the song, instead choking into the microphone – _My name is Blaine Anderson. Today, we're going to finish Governor Anderson's reign. For good._

And with that he turned 180 degrees and ran into the town hall, through the reception and past two obviously incompetent officers playing cards, and up the stairs. Outside his father's office two more officers were standing guard, and before Blaine managed to slow down and stop, they had seized his arms.

He wrestled for a moment, though a voice in the back of his head told him how hopeless it was, and ended up kicking out, his foot hitting his father's office door with such force that it flew open. Both heads in the office snapped round to look at him – the Governor, and Josh.

'_Blaine.' _His father said, standing up. 'I was told you'd somehow left the prison. Fancy seeing you here. Put him down, gentlemen.' The officers dropped Blaine unceremoniously.

'You can'tget away with this_,'_ Blaine spat. 'People are going to rise up. We – we aren't _afraid _of you. Not anymore.'

'Is that so? Well, it's funny you should say that, young man, because –'

'Blaine!' A female voice shouted from over Blaine's shoulder. He whipped round to see Rachel, Kurt and Noah running full pelt towards the room. They stopped in time for the officers to form a barrier between themselves and the door. 'Blaine, people are rising up! They're burning the gallows in the square! The sundial is being ripped apart! They're _revolting!' _Blaine looked back at his father, whose face had pinkened, although the stony expression remained the same.

'Want me to get rid of these kids, Governor?' One of the officers spoke up.

'... No.' Anderson composed himself. 'No. They can watch.' He walked calmly over to his desk and opened a drawer. 'Sometimes I think I should have just done this in the first place.' And he pulled out a gun, and he pointed it at Blaine.

**I feel like this was kind of jagged and jumpy, but hey, would you be thinking straight if your father popped you in a prison, tried to kill you, and you escaped just so he could try and pop a glock? Yeah. The next chapter is the final chapter! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Last chapter. I'm just going to go straight on before I start getting emotional and singing **_**My Way.**_

'_Dad!' _Josh interrupted the silence that had been hanging in the air for ten seconds. 'Dad, what the Hell?' He'd jumped off of his seat at the side of the room and was tentatively advancing on his father.

'Why do you think you're in here?' Anderson didn't take his eyes off Blaine as he addressed his younger son. 'You're the next leader. Not this fag.'

Josh looked between his dad and his brother. And here he'd been thinking his dad had been educating him on the government because he wanted to bond. His father had put in place a law banning homosexuality because he wanted to break Blaine, or at least turn him into a suitable leader. When that hadn't worked, because Blaine was either really stupid, or _really _passionate, he'd gone apeshit and tried to have him killed. All so that Josh could take over when the time came, because _apparently _being straight made him a better leader. Josh had always been kind of grateful for Blaine's presence, because he had a feeling that he would in _no way _be able to take over the town. Blaine could; Blaine was that kind of person. And all this boiled down to was the fact that Josh was closer to his father's idea of perfect than Blaine was. For the first time in his life, Josh stepped back, and saw his father for what he really was.

Time froze when Anderson pointed the gun at Blaine.

The handful of mini-adventures Blaine had been on in the past twelve hours had made him feel like several different people at once. He'd been a terrified little boy, gripped by fear as he spent that time in the cell and held the idea in his mind that Kurt might come to harm. He'd been the luckiest guy in the world when his friends had come to rescue him, and he had seen Kurt alive and well. And he'd been a courageous knight, when he stood up and sung in front of the crowds of Lima, and then gone to confront his dad. And now? Now he felt like a soldier in battle, staring into the eyes of the man who was going to murder him.

If he'd had more than a few seconds to think, he might have thought about the thousands of people he had put in danger by encouraging them to rebel. Or he might have thought about Josh, who his father was going to mold into his clone, at any means necessary. And he might have thought about Kurt – Kurt, who had risked so much for him, who deserved only the best in life, whose face was now burned into the Governor's mind, and who was sure to be punished once Blaine was taken care of.

But he did only have a few seconds, and all of that was to be addressed later. Because in that instant, as he started into his father's cold eyes, Blaine felt nothing.

So it was Josh who sprang into action when the sound of Anderson cocking the gun cut the silence. He leapt forward, grabbing the closest item off his father's desk – a heavy brass lamp – and lashed out, intending only on stopping the gun from being fired at whatever cost. The base of the lamp struck the back of Anderson's head with a sickening crack, and the man crumpled, falling face-first onto the carpet. There was a collective gasp, and Josh let the lamp fall to the floor.

The officers were the first to act, rushing forward, pushing past Blaine, to kneel at Anderson's body, shouting into their radios for help. One turned the Governor over roughly, and tried to get a look into his closed eyes as the other searched for a pulse or a heartbeat, but it was clear neither knew quite what they were doing.

Blaine turned away from his father for the first time that day to look at Josh, whose mouth was hanging open and whose hands were gripping his own hair with what looked like intent to pull it out. Josh started to cry, so Blaine ran forward and enveloped him in his arms, supporting him as his knees gave way and they both sank to the floor. The younger boy sobbed into his brother's chest _I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, _and was met with only a soothing _shh_ and a gentle hand rubbing his back.

'His heart ain't beating,' one of the officers said to the other in a low voice.

'Keep checking. He's gotta be alive.' The other started ineffectually pumping Anderson's chest.

'Kevin, his brains are on the floor. This guy ain't comin' back.'

'Shut up.'

'Kevin.'

The other officer sighed and sat back.

'We couldn't have done nothing. We ain't doctors. We're security.'

'You're right.' Kevin stood up, removing his ID badge from his pocket and walking over to where Blaine and Josh were still embracing. 'Kid. You're under arrest for murder. You have –'

'_Wait._' Blaine said, glaring at the man. 'Hang on. You're forgetting something. I inherit power on the occasion of the death of my father. You both work for me, now.'

'We – uh...'

'And I say you're both fired. Every "officer" under my father is hereby dismissed. Get the Hell out of here and spread the word.' The two men looked outraged, but left without further argument. Blaine turned his attention back to his brother.

'Its okay, Joshie... That was the only thing we could do. He – he was only going to hurt more people. And you saved my life, okay? You're a hero. I promise.' He looked up, over to the doorway where he'd forgotten that Kurt, Rachel and Noah had been standing. Rachel was wrapped up in Kurt's arms, while Noah was leaning against the doorframe, and all of them had the same wide-eyed expression as they watched Blaine and Josh. Blaine beckoned them over.

'Josh... Do you think you could let Rachel take you outside?' He caught Rachel's eye as he asked this, and she nodded. 'I need to go talk to everyone.' Josh nodded weakly and Blaine helped him up.

'I'm so sorry, Blaine...' he whispered, again.

'Stop it. You have nothing to be sorry for.' Blaine smiled in thanks to Rachel as she came forward and took Josh's arm, joining their hands together.

'Are you okay?' She whispered to Blaine.

'I will be.' He moved towards the door, towards Kurt, who held his hand out.

'It's over.' He said simply, squeezing Blaine's hand tight.

Xxx

The crowds calmed almost instantly as Blaine appeared at the top of the stairs again. He leaned forward on the podium and put his lips to the microphone.

'Governor Anderson is dead.' There was a smattering of murmurs and gasps around the crowd, that Blaine put a hand up to silence. 'His death was not an accident. It was an act of defence from my brave, brave brother. Obviously, Lima has lost a great and terrible leader, and although I'm sure he will be remembered in centuries to come, his death will mark the dawn of a new age for this town. As you all know, being his oldest son, the position of your leader automatically... goes to me. While I hold this position, I want to introduce you to this new age.' He paused, took in a breath, and began to list what he'd thought of only in daydreams. 'No assemblies, ever again. I understand that we can't bring back those we've lost in the past thanks to this awful tradition–' he glanced at Kurt, who was standing with the others at the side and gazing up at Blaine through wide eyes. He saw him mouth _thank you,_ and gave him a small smile before continuing '-but all I can do is try my best to ensure that _no-one _is unlawfully killed, no matter who or what they are.' He stood up a little straighter, looking around the square, at everyone's faces. 'No more curfews. We'll bring in cars for you all, computers, TVs. And we're going to get more books. Thousands – and more music, more poetry. We're going to open up our town to other places and other cultures. And we're all going to be _free._ Because that is the one thing that has been missing from our lives. Freedom. You're all going to be free – to leave, to travel if you so desire; you're free to be creative, to write books or music _and _– you're free to love whoever you want. No limitations, no punishments.' He looked over to Kurt again, this time a fuller smile gracing his features. 'Full stop.' The crowd broke in here with applause and cheering that became deafening once the people realised that the words were true and no-one was going to punish them for stepping out of line. Blaine interrupted them, bringing the noise down as he started to speak. 'Someone is going to have to enforce these rules,' he said, 'and while I won't be stepping back entirely, I... I wouldn't feel comfortable being the sole leader. Not after what my father has done to you. I want to sever all ties with my father's reign, including my own. I haven't officially asked her yet, but I want to invite my friend Rachel up. Rachel is one of the most fair, but passionate people I've met, and I think she's going to make an amazing leader.' He turned and gestured for Rachel to come up to the podium. She walked up, slightly timidly, her eyes not leaving Blaine's.

'Are you sure?' She whispered.

'Of course! No-one could do this job better than you. I trust you.' They hugged tightly.

'I won't let you down.' She promised him, before letting go and turning to the crowd. 'I'm Rachel Berry.' She said. 'And I have a lot of work to do, but tonight –' she glanced around. 'Tonight you're going to hear some new music, and we're going to party right here in the square.' The crowd erupted into cheers again and Rachel started giggling, clutching on to the podium. 'Thank you, Blaine,' she turned to him, eyes shining. He grinned and kissed her on the cheek, before turning away and walking back down the side of the stairs, and straight into Kurt's arms.

He buried his head in Kurt's neck as Kurt hugged him tight.

'You did it,' the taller boy whispered. 'You won. You're _shaking!' _He held Blaine at arm's length. 'Are you okay?' Blaine opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.

'My head is going fucking insane.' He blinked a few times, breathing heavily, before looking the other boy in the in the eye. 'I love you so much, Kurt.' He stepped forward and kissed Kurt, gripping his waist and the side of his face like they were the only real things in the world. Kurt let out a breathy laugh before returning the kiss, throwing his arms around Blaine's neck and finally, _finally _basking in the security that everything was going to be okay. Blaine broke off with a couple of feather-light pecks and rested his forehead on Kurt's.

'We won.' He whispered.

'_You _won,' Kurt amended. Blaine shook his head.

'No. Everyone here won.'

**You guys were all fantastic to write for. **

**This chapter is dedicated to the glorious golden-perception, my incredible beta. And faithful reviewers, I'm looking at kewliobeans, uriah cullen, NessySchu, all of you and everyone who alerted or favourited this, I love you all, frightening amounts.**

**Stick around for Waves and the Both of Us!**

**Love**


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